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Journalism of Courage
Socrates described four types of unjust societies: timocracy rule based on honour and military glory, oligarchy rule by a small faction or group of families, plutocracy rule of the wealthy, democracy and tyranny or despotism, in ascending order from least unjust to the most unjust. With reference to democracy, he described it as the third worst state, under which he was executed. He said: It will result into a debtor nation, people borrow high interest with oligarchy, they will suffer bankruptcy. All people receive equal rights. They lack discipline. Politicians with no training will lead the public. They go on catering to the whims of the people. Like oligarchy, it lacks unity because people work for selfish motives instead of for the good of the state. However, we see, in the absence of other alternatives, we have to resort to democracy. However, if the cardinal principles of virtue mentioned by Socrates are imbibed, democracy will be the happiest reign.
This implies that we cannot dispense with religion altogether although democracy, too, has some limitations. For, in order to achieve equality, liberty and fraternity in a democracy we must practice Dharma. During the national movement we were concentrating on winning freedom and liberty from foreign rule. Equality can be enforced only against the state, but not against a co-citizen. Fraternity is not even claimed to be an enforceable principle. The liberty we enjoy is really empty and unreal. Even a married couple cannot move freely on the streets, let alone unmarried girls. Unless citizens follow Dharma and become virtuous, the state alone cannot enforce these doctrines and achieve the goal of an ideal state. In spite of the loud proclamation of these precepts, humanity has not really won them. People began to mistake Dharma as a religious concept and these three concepts embodied in the constitution are treated as merely political doctrines necessary for the democracy. In fact, they are more religious than all religions put together, as they are facets of spirituality.
Equality, liberty and fraternity are the godheads of the soul and therefore of the state.
Extracted from the book,8216;The Message of Mahabharata, The Nation8217;s Magnum Opus8217;BBU 2004
